


A Heart Made Fullmetal

by SilverFlameAlchemist



Series: Jukebox Drabbles [5]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Pre-War, Angst, Big Brother Edward, Can't Keep Greed Down, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Violence, Mentions of self-harm, Military Academy, Military Uniforms, Multi, Other, POV Second Person, Protective Kimblee, Protectiveness, Reader-Insert, Romance, Sass Masters, Sassy Roy Mustang, Song-inspired, Songfic, Spoilers for Series End, Surprise! You're In Love!, Thoughts of Suicide, Winry Ships It, reader/various - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 23:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10320347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFlameAlchemist/pseuds/SilverFlameAlchemist
Summary: You would have been totally okay with a normal life... But normal was usually boring, right? And he was anything but boring.





	1. Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But it wasn't the war that ended up throwing you, in the end. It was coming home and trying to belong. It was trying to sleep at night when all you could see were flames and faces that were forever caught in a silent scream because you'd put a bullet between their eyes.
> 
> Roy Mustang/Reader

_We can leave this world, leave it all behind_  
_We can steal this car if your folks don't mind_  
 _We can live forever if you've got the time…_

It had been an impulsive decision, joining the army, but you’d done it.

You’d waved farewell to your friends and family and entered the academy, ready to fight for Fuhrer and country at any cost, proud to wear the blue uniform and stand at attention on the parade grounds as you were given your orders.

You made friends easily, and fell in with a certain sort of crowd while you trained and when the day of the Civil War came, you felt your heart flutter, because this wasn’t about drills anymore. This was about defending your country to the last and praying that you made it out alive.

This was real and raw and scarier than even your drill sergeants had led you to believe, because this was _war_.

 _I hope you're ready for a firefight_  
_'Cause the devil's got your number tonight_  
 _They say "we're never leaving this place alive"_  
 _But if you sing these words, we'll never die…_

You felt your heart pound as the sound of gunfire rent the night air, intermingled with the shouts of your fellow officers and the easily recognizable crackling of alchemy.

Everywhere around you, people were charging forward as you hung back and waited, providing cover from the trench where you currently sat, trying to make sure you kept breathing, because more than one person would suffer if you lost your wits.

You were blinking hard, biting back the tears that were threatening to spill over and slip down your face, when a hand landed on your shoulder and you were pulled back to the present, whipping your head around to look up into the grinning face behind you.

Roy had been one of those people you’d gotten along with at the academy… One of the people you’d been thrilled to know would be serving alongside you in Ishval.

“Hey, don’t miss, okay?” He gave your shoulder a squeeze, and you felt warmth flood through you. “I’ll be out there, and I’m counting on you to have my back. Don’t let me down.”

“I won’t.” You managed to whisper back.

He grinned, clapping you on the shoulder and peering over the ridge of your trench. “That’s my girl. Now come on, cover me.” And he was off again, ducking and weaving as you followed his order and gave him the cover he needed.

That’s why you were here. To help your friends make it out alive, and hope you made it too, because it would be a shame to come this far and then not be able to keep going.

 _Get off the ledge and drop the knife_  
_Not a victim of a victim's life_  
 _Because this ain't a room full of suicides_  
 _We're believers, I believe tonight…_

But it wasn’t the war that ended up throwing you, in the end.

It was coming home and trying to belong. It was trying to sleep at night when all you could see were flames and faces that were forever caught in a silent scream because you’d put a bullet between their eyes.

You rationalized it in your mind by saying that it was all for the greater good. All under orders from someone higher up. All because you’d had to. Because you’d had to get the others out alive.

You put a hand over your eyes as you stood on the top of your apartment building, facing the sunset and wondering if maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad after all.

They were the lucky ones, weren’t they? The ones who hadn’t made it. The ones who didn’t have to deal with all of _this_. All of life.

You moved closer to the edge, doing the math in your head as you looked down at the street ten stories below you.

You wouldn’t survive that kind of fall. Not if you jumped and landed head-first. Not if you planned this right.

You took a shaky breath and then stopped when you heard a soft voice from behind you, nearly as shaky as your own.

“Don’t jump.”

You turned around carefully, eyes wide when you spotted the dark hair and keen eyes of the man who’d told you every day that you _had_ to survive because people were waiting for you, and you had a duty to return to them.

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll be missed. Now come on, step away from the edge.”

“Who would miss little old me?”

“I would.”

You wanted to laugh at him, but the way he was looking at you, you knew he was telling the truth. He was completely serious, and that meant something, coming from the Sovereign of Sarcasm.

“Really?”

“Really. Besides, who else am I going to talk into wearing a mini-skirt?”

You did laugh that time, but it was because you were being tugged into a warm embrace and then that laugh turned into a sob, and you couldn’t hold back any longer, because you really weren’t sure what to live for anymore.

You’d given _living_ your best attempt in the Civil War, and now nothing seemed to be like living at all, because waking up every morning and pulling on your uniform and casually heading into work was not the same sort of living as rolling out of your cot and grabbing your gun because a guard had shouted _raid_ at the top of his lungs.

This, whatever it was, was not living.

 _I'll tell you all how the story ends_  
_Where the good guys die and the bad guys win_  
 _This ain't about all the friends you made_  
 _But the graffiti they write on your grave…_

You leant your head against the cool stone at your back and smiled up into the sky, watching the clouds roll in across the bright azure sky. “How have you been, Hughes?” You asked softly, continuing before you knew he would have been able to reply. “I saw Gracia today… She told me I’m welcome whenever I want to stop by.” You chuckled softly. “You sure knew how to pick ‘em, huh? Lucky dog…” You frowned slightly up at the darkening sky and sighed softly. “Well… Maybe not so lucky after all, I guess.”

The tombstone continued to be cold even after you’d sat against it for the better part of an hour, the stone slowly leaching the heat from your body until you were left shivering in the graveyard, huddled up in your coat and thankful you’d had the foresight to bring an umbrella.

The rain pattered softly around you, a lulling sound amongst the silent dead and weeping living, keeping you hooked to reality and reminding you that the world was still there, whenever you were ready to face it.

You came here most days you had off, and talked to the friend you’d lost, always imagining his voice in your mind, telling you the things you needed to hear. He wasn’t nearly old enough to be your father, but he had certainly been the _cool uncle_ you’d never had. You’d spent a lot of your free time with him and his wife, and you’d been treated like one of the family. Even now, you were still treated that way.

You’d loved him, and he’d left you all alone.

Your ragged breaths came out in wisps of fog, a sign of just how cold it had gotten since you’d arrived, and you pulled your coat a little tighter around you as you started to cry for what felt like the millionth time since his funeral. “What am I supposed to do, Maes?”

“Well for starters,” a familiar voice stated softly from the other side of the grave, “you could try asking for help.” You wiped hurriedly at your eyes as the Colonel stepped around the grave and stooped down until he could see your face. “Mind if I join you?”

You shook your head, unable to think of anything to say, and shifted enough to give him room as he sat beside you, shielded from the rain by your umbrella.

The two of you sat in silence for several long moments before you opened your mouth and managed to whisper out a question. “What kind of help would I be asking for?”

“Any kind.” He replied just as softly. “We’re here for you, if you need us.”

“Who’s _we_?” You asked, looking at him out of the corner of your eye.

He smiled slightly. “Myself, Gracia, any of my team, if you felt like asking them…” He trailed off, looking you in the eyes. “I don’t want you thinking that there’s a better alternative.”

You felt a stab at that, remembering the day several years ago when you’d been a stupid girl on a rooftop. “Don’t worry… I know better now.”

He smiled for real that time, nodding once. “Good to know.”

You managed a small smirk. “But out of the two of us, I think you’re the one who needs help at the moment.”

He looked perplexed for a moment before you continued, standing up and offering him your hand. “You’re useless in the rain, Colonel.”

He gave you a flat look for that, and you laughed as you helped him to his feet, not even noticing as he put an arm around your waist as you walked out of the cemetery together.

 _For all of us who've seen the light_  
_Salute the dead and lead the fight_  
 _Who cares if we lose the war?_  
 _Let the walls come down, let the engines roar…_

From then on out, the lines had started to blur, and you weren’t really sure who to trust anymore, because if the Elric brothers were to be believed, then the nation was in trouble, and you had to choose a side to stand on.

But the only man you had ever really trusted was on one side, and you decided that it didn’t matter if it was the losing side or not, you’d stand with him, because you owed him that much, at least.

You’d been careful and kept your mouth shut when interrogated and even mildly threatened, and you would always flash the Flame Alchemist a grin, because you knew that he was fighting for the right thing, even if no one else agreed with you.

And when Roy Mustang had staged a coup at Central Command, you’d been right there with him, ready to do whatever it took to give Edward the time he needed.

In a way, this was your own sort of revenge, knowing that Ed intended to put an end to the Homunculus who had killed Hughes. And for you, that was as good a reason as any.

And when the smoke had cleared, and the day was done, you’d survived once again, and you knew deep down that everything was going to be alright.

 _I'm the only friend that makes you cry_  
_You're a heart attack in black hair dye_  
 _So just save yourself and I'll hold them back tonight…_

It was everything that came after the fighting that was hard.

It was the rebuilding and recuperating, dealing with the people and piles of paperwork.

It was trying to remember what life had been like during a peace, and wondering if this was even a peace to begin with.

It was trying to not think about the fact that Roy had almost ended up blind, and that Havoc might not get full use of his legs back. It was wanting to forget all the sacrifices that had been made in order to get this far.

It was drowning your sorrows in a bottle of whatever you could get your hands on as you took up your usual post by Hughes’ grave and talked till you went hoarse, because everyone else was too busy to listen.

Funny thing about the dead was that they had all the time in the world to listen to the problems of the living.

But every time you went, Roy would show up out of the blue right when you’d gotten to the part where you lamented losing the people you had, and you’d cry into his shoulder because he was convenient, and it just wasn’t _fair_ that he got to see you cry like that.

But it was nice to be held in a warm hug and have reassurances whispered into your ear by a voice that sounded nearly as tired as your own did.

 _You're the broken glass in the morning light_  
_Be a burning star if it takes all night_  
 _So just save yourself and I'll hold them back tonight…_

The morning you woke up in a bed that wasn’t yours was the day you realized this was where it had been heading all along, and when you found Roy asleep on his couch you tried not to laugh, because he looked adorable when he was asleep.

The soft kiss you gave him as a thank you before you slipped away managed to wake him up, and his reciprocating one was anything but _soft_.

By the time you managed to realize what had just happened, you were being tugged down into a sleepy hug and a soft huff was pressed to your temple before he told you that you were confined to the premises for the rest of the weekend, and that was an order so you’d better not go trying anything rash.

You managed a soft laugh and told him not to worry. You wouldn’t be going anywhere for quite some time.

 _We can leave this world, leave it all behind_  
_We can steal this car if your folks don't mind_  
 _We can live forever if you've got the time…_

_"Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back" by My Chemical Romance_


	2. Inevitable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You rolled your eyes. "I said, if I had to pick one of you to marry, I'd pick Al." Edward threw his arms up in victory and Al went a shade of crimson not usually found in nature.
> 
> "I knew it!" The elder cried triumphantly.
> 
> You threw your shoe at him.
> 
> Alphonse Elric/Reader

_Do you remember when we were just kids_  
_And cardboard boxes took us miles from what we would miss_  
 _Schoolyard conversations taken to heart_  
 _And laughter took the place of everything we knew we were not..._

You sat in the sunshine, laughing into the blue sky above you, and thinking of anything but the future. Your you were free and happy and loved and nothing could ever possibly go wrong on a day like today, because it was beautiful and wonderful and you were with the people you loved.

"Hey!"

You turned at the unceremonious summons, trying to bite back a giggle at the serious look on Edward's face as he looked over at you. "Yeah?"

"If you had to pick one of us to marry, who would it be? Me or Al?"

" _Brother!_ " Alphonse sputtered, going vibrantly pink in the face. "Don't ask things like that!"

"Oh come on, Al, you know you wanna know!" He teased, nudging his brother in the ribs. "I see the way you look at her. And don't think I missed you giving her those flowers yesterday!"

You and Winry lost yourselves in giggles as Al merely got redder and redder until he resembled a ripe strawberry in complexion.

"That- that's not fair, Brother! That was private!"

Edward grinned like the evil little mastermind he was. "Oh it was, huh, then I guess you shouldn't have stayed out in the open." He nudged his brother meaningfully in the ribs again, waggling his eyebrows up and down. "You shoulda pulled her into the shadows back behind the shed, _and then_ you coulda…"

He was silenced by a shoe to the face and toppled like a domino from the force of Winry's throw. "Edward, don't dirty your brother's ears with stuff like that! You're supposed to be a good model!"

You couldn't stop laughing at their antics, actually feeling your stomach start to ache with the force of your giggles. "Ed, you're _terrible_! So terrible, in fact, that I wouldn't marry you! I'd pick Al over you any day!"

The brothers froze in their prospective movements, Ed poised to throw the shoe back at Winry and Al about to stop him.

" _What?_ " They asked in unison.

You rolled your eyes. "I _said_ , if I had to pick one of you to marry, I'd pick Al."

Edward threw his arms up in victory and Al went a shade of crimson not usually found in nature.

"I _knew it_!" The elder cried triumphantly.

You threw your own shoe at him and had just as much success as Winry had, making him topple all over again.

You laughed as he and Winry started to chase each other back towards the house, and Al looked at you guiltily from where he sat.

"Did you mean that?" He asked in a tiny voice. "What you said to Edward?"

You smiled at him, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Every word."

He went scarlet again.

 _I wanna break every clock_  
_The hands of time could never move again_  
 _We could stay in this moment_  
 _For the rest of our lives_  
 _Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now..._

You were staring up at the moon from the Rockbell's roof, a blanket over your shoulders to keep away the night air and a cup of cocoa clutched in your hands.

Alphonse sat next to you, trying not to stare at you instead of the moon, and you had to giggle when he jerked his head away from you so fast his neck popped.

"You okay, Al? You've been all jumpy ever since Ed went back inside."

He looked down into his own mug of cocoa and tried to find the words he wanted to say. "Ah… There… There's something I wanted to ask you."

You turned to look at him, an encouraging smile in evidence. "What is it?"

"You…" He cleared his throat and tried again. "Remember when you said you'd pick me over Edward, when we were sitting under that tree, and when he and Winry left you kissed my cheek?"

You blinked. "Yeah, I remember…"

He looked over at you and even in the pale light of the moon you could see his blush. "Could you do it again?"

You laughed, leaning in to press your lips to his cheek, but he turned his head at the last second, and your lips met his in a kiss.

You pulled away quickly, surprised, and he started apologizing before you leaned over and rested your head on his shoulder. "I thought I told you," you muttered softly, "I'd pick you over your brother any day."

He put an arm gently and cautiously over your shoulders and pulled you a little closer, shifting so that you could lean against him as you looked up into the midnight sky and watched the stars drift by.

It was the silent moments like these that made you so fond of Alphonse. Because he knew the importance of taking in the world around you and just enjoying it for what it was.

You sat like that until your cocoa got cold and Pinako told you it was time to come down and go to bed, but Alphonse held your hand all the way up to your room, and when he left you by your door and slipped off to his own room, it was almost in a reluctant way.

And you told Winry about it the second you were inside, because otherwise you would have _burst_.

_Amazing how life turns out the way that it does  
We end up hurting the worst, the only ones we really love..._

You stared at the suit of armor sitting on the steps of Winry's house and tried to think through what a soft voice had just explained from the expanse of that suit.

He was gone.

 _No_. You reprimanded yourself harshly. He was still here. He was sitting in front of you. He was…

"Al?"

"Yeah?"

"Are… Are you ever going to get your body back?"

"…I… I don't know."

You heard the sadness in his voice and moved forward, finding a way to wrap him in a hug and pull him close, feeling comforted by the sun-warmed metal. "You'd better. Because if you don't I'm gonna be really mad at you for not hugging me goodbye."

You heard him chuckle, and knew that no matter what happened it was going to be alright, because it was Al and Ed and if anyone could figure this out it was them.

"I know it's going to take you two time, but you'll come back to me, won't you?"

One of his hands tentatively splayed against your back, acutely aware of how much bigger he was now than you. "I promise."

You held onto him a little tighter and told yourself not to cry, because everything would be alright.

And you just kept telling yourself that over and over to keep the tears at bay.

 _I wanna be your last, first kiss_  
_That you'll ever have_  
 _I wanna be your last, first kiss…_

You stayed in that house with Winry and Pinako, and jumped every time the telephone rang, because maybe it was _them_. And when Winry rolled her eyes and yelled at a certain blond you both knew, you'd grin and get your gear together, because you'd be going with her to fix him up.

Winry usually didn't need you to hold Ed down while she reconnected the Automail, so basically you were just there to tease him and keep Al company while he waited for the repairs to be done.

You tried to never ask him how the search was going, instead talking about what had been happening back home, no matter how mundane it might be, and he always laughed and told you he appreciated the update, and somehow you knew he really meant it.

You hugged him whenever possible, remembering one whispered conversation you'd had over the phone when he admitted to missing people treating him normally.

You held his hand, punched his shoulder, tried to make him feel as human as possible with only a soul to occupy all that empty space.

And once, when it had been a particularly stormy night and you knew he would be lonely in his own room, you'd curled up inside his armor and kept him company until you'd fallen asleep in there.

You made sure you never told anyone about that particular episode.

The time you spent together was yours and yours alone, and whatever happened between the two of you stayed between you two. Edward never heard about what you talked about when you went to the roof of whatever building you were in, or what Al transmuted for you to take home to remember him by.

It was the little things like that that made the whole situation just a bit more bearable, and you could almost remember how it felt to hold his real hand when he grabbed yours in his armor one.

 _I wanna be your last, first kiss_  
_That you'll ever have_  
 _I wanna be your last, first love_  
 _Till you're lying here beside me with arms and eyes open wide_  
 _I wanna be your last, first kiss for all time..._

You were at home, washing dishes and loving how dull the day had been thus far, when a pair of hands landed on your waste and a soft kiss was pressed to your shoulder.

You jumped a mile in the air and brandished a frying pan at the boy behind you as he started to laugh, holding his hands up in surrender.

And then you recognized his hair and his smile and his laugh and you forgot everything you'd been about to say in favor of pulling him into the tightest hug possible and crying into his shoulder.

He held you just as tightly and whispered softly into your ear, telling you not to cry because everything was alright now, and he was finally _home_.

When you finally stopped crying you pulled away and took in every detail of his appearance because he'd grown up while he'd been wherever it was.

And once you had his smile recommitted to memory and the color of his eyes memorized, you tugged him into another hug and kissed him soundly.

He laughed against your lips and you tried not to melt, because metal might be warm in the sun but nothing beat the heat of his arms holding you tightly.

You couldn't hold him close enough; couldn't run your fingers through his hair enough; couldn't get enough of _him,_ because it was finally him again.

All flesh and bone and bright eyes and gentle smiles.

Everything that made him _Alphonse Elric_ , that made him everything you wanted and everything you'd missed. Everything you could possibly want.

And when you'd finally found your voice again, you whispered the two words you'd been waiting to say for so long that it almost hurt to let them slip past your lips.

"Welcome home."

 _I wanna be your last, first kiss_  
_That you'll ever have_  
 _I wanna be your last, first kiss…_

_"Inevitable" by Anberlin_


	3. Keep Your Heart Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over the years you'd grown closer and more attached until one day you realized that the pounding of your heart had nothing to do with the game of tag you'd just finished playing, and everything to do with the way Edward was looking at you as he tried to catch his breath.
> 
> Edward Elric/Reader

_Forever and after my love_   
_Just promise to keep your heart broken..._

You'd grown up with those blond boys.

The two bright-eyed, brilliant-minded brothers who'd turned the most mundane materials into the most fantastical creations imaginable. They'd try to one-up each other to prove to you which one was better, but you never told them what you thought.

You didn't want to have favorites, even though you knew who you would have praised more if you could have.

You and the boys and Winry were inseparable in your childhood, and you'd done everything together. You'd played and pouted, gotten into and out of trouble nearly too often for your own good, spent days out under the blue sky doing nothing but breathing, because real friends didn't have to say anything in order to communicate.

Over the years you'd grown closer and more attached until one day you realized that the pounding of your heart had nothing to do with the game of tag you'd just finished playing, and everything to do with the way Edward was looking at you as he tried to catch his breath.

You turned to Winry for answers, and she gave you the brightest grin imaginable as she told you rather flatly that you were in love.

You hadn't been able to look at Ed the same way after that, no matter how hard you tried, and sometimes you wondered if he could tell, or if he was just growing up as well.

But before you could ever tell him how you felt, how he made your heart pound and your mind whirl out of control, everything had gone wrong for him and his brother, and when you went to the Rockbell's home the next day, the boys you'd grown up with were no longer the ones who sat in Pinako's kitchen as she softly explained to you what had happened.

And the way Edward looked at you broke your heart, because that hope and light had left his eyes, and you could only hope that it would come back one of these days.

_Enfolding your love in my heart_   
_By the dawn I'll be gone_   
_The road keeps us apart_   
_For some time I'll be gone..._

You tried to put on a brave face for the boys every time they came home, but as time passed it got harder to smile and pretend like everything was peachy.

You struggled to keep your countenance clear, and when Ed caught you on the roof one night, you tried so hard to not let how you were feeling show, but his Automail caught the moonlight, and you couldn't keep your question in any longer.

"Does it hurt?"

He looked surprised, but smiled all the same. "Of course not." You gave him a look that he knew from your youth, and he chuckled. "Okay, fine… A little." He shrugged, inspecting his right arm. "I've gotten used to it, though…"

You frowned, pulling your knees up to your chest and looking out over the dark scenery. "I don't like you being in pain." You muttered, not looking at him. "I don't like knowing you might be sad."

You jumped when a warm shoulder brushed against yours. "Stop worrying about me, would you? You're not doing anyone any good."

You looked at him out of the corner of your eye, willing your heart to keep its steady rhythm and not get out of hand. "It makes me feel better…"

He laughed at that, shoulders shaking from the force of it. "How does worrying about me make you feel better?" He asked, ruffling you hair with one hand.

You blushed lightly under the ministrations and huffed softly. "Just… Make it back in one piece, okay?"

He grinned. "If I came home any other way, Winry would murder me."

You laughed, nudging him in the ribs. "Yeah, she won't be the only one."

_You promised to swallow your tears when I leave you_   
_You promised to follow the leads I will give you_   
_You said you would crawl in the dark from the laughter_   
_You said you would long after me ever after..._

It had taken a while for Ed to finally get the hint that you liked him more than when you were kids terrorizing the countryside.

But when he did, he was reduced to the cutest, blushing bit of goo you'd ever seen, and you decided that you could forgive him for taking so long to figure it out.

"You… You like me?" He'd been shocked, his face still a light pink even after ten minutes of sitting in silence and letting the revelation sink in.

"Yeah…" You were trying not to laugh at him, aware that he'd just be more embarrassed if you did.

"S-so… What do you want to do about it?"

You did laugh then. Here sat Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, one of the youngest and most brilliant alchemists of the age, who would throw himself into battle without batting an eyelash, but was flustered by the thought that a girl liked him.

"Don't laugh! This is serious!"

You tried to stop the giggles slipping past your lips, tried to reign in your amusement at his wide eyes and bright pink cheeks, but you just couldn't.

He let out an annoyed huff, grabbed your arms, and pulled you into a very sloppy kiss. He was pulling away nearly as quickly as he'd pulled you to him, and he stared at his shoes. "So… I like you too."

You grinned and pulled him into a hug. "So glad to hear it, Ed."

He hugged you back, and you could feel his heartbeat thundering against your chest. "Just… Don't stop liking me, okay?"

You laughed again, softly this time, and held onto him even more tightly. "Okay."

_Days go by like the wind_   
_And this life is too short_   
_It makes no sense to give in_   
_To release you from my thoughts_   
_I promised to write you, I'll always remember_   
_I promised to try to be back 'til December_   
_I said I must go, I must face this disaster_   
_I said I would come after you ever after..._

You told Edward that you didn't mind it when he phoned instead of coming to visit. You told him that hearing from him like this was better than not hearing from him at all, and you really didn't mind.

But of course, you did.

It hurt when you heard that signature tone in his voice that told you he wouldn't be coming back again for a while, even though he tried to make it up to you by promising to stay for longer the next time he dropped by, or by offering to pay your way up to Central so you could see him.

When he did drop by, it was always for repairs, and the time you got to spend together was always cut short by one thing or another cropping up, and you savored the moments you two managed to steal away.

You told him to stop making you promises about staying when you knew he couldn't, but you liked hearing him tell you how much he missed you every time he pressed whispers to your ear.

He wasn't overly romantic in his affections, but that suited you just fine, and you loved the little things he did do, like holding your hand or pressing chaste kisses to your shoulder. It was his smile that made your heart pound, and the way his bright eyes could slowly take you apart like one of his many alchemical recipes.

It was his promises that gave you hope, because you knew he meant it when he told you that he would get his body back and come home to you.

You knew he meant it when he told you he loved you and that no matter what he always would.

And you meant it when you told him that right back.

"You really mean that?" He asked one night as you lay on Winry's roof and looked up at the stars. "I mean… Even the metal bits of me?"

You'd smiled and pulled him closer. "Even the metal bits of you."

_My love will grow black if your heart gets stolen_   
_Just promise to keep your heart_   
_One day I'll come back if the door's still open_   
_Just promise to keep your heart broken..._

_"Keep Your Heart Broken" by The Rasmus_


	4. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You would slip out of your barracks at night and go see the boys you'd befriended, because they were the ones who would stay up late playing poker and trading stories. They were the ones who reminded you why you'd left your family and joined this group of misfits. They were the ones who made you feel alive.
> 
> Maes Hughes/Reader

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away..._

You and your parents had never seen eye-to-eye about most things, but you'd made up your mind to put up with it until you were of age, and then you could leave and never look back. You could whisk off into the night with no regrets, and be your own person for the first time in your life.

And when you'd run away from home, you'd thought it was for a good reason. To get away from your controlling parents, your jealous siblings, your life in general. But you'd just put the problem into a box, not fixed it entirely, and it took a drunk at a bar telling you that for it to really sink in.

You called your parents and told them you wouldn't be coming home, and when they asked why, you answered with the first thing that popped into your head.

"I'm joining the military."

Your father had yelled and your mother had cried, and you'd decided that maybe this spur-of-the-moment decision wasn't the worst thing after all.

So you hung up, ordered another drink, and headed to the nearest recruitment office you could find in order to sign your life away.

But this time around, not being in control of your destiny seemed to not be such a bad thing, because when you walked into the barracks for the first time, a fluttering heartbeat wavering in your chest, you were greeted with grins and claps on the back, and you felt at home for the first time since you could remember.

You made it through basic training without too many bruises, and when you and your new-found friends went for drinks you would always offer to buy a round, because even though your parents didn't like your decision, they apparently refused to let their runaway daughter be destitute.

You would slip out of your barracks at night and go see the boys you'd befriended, because they were the ones who would stay up late playing poker and trading stories. They were the ones who reminded you why you'd left your family and joined this group of misfits.

They were the ones who made you feel alive.

 _I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh_  
_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away_  
 _I keep your photograph, I know it serves me well_  
 _I wanna hold you high and steal your pain..._

"Okay, okay, that's _enough_ , man! If you take any more pictures we're going to go blind."

You had looked up in time to see Roy snatching the camera away from his friend, the other pouting at the action. "Hey, that's the only one I've got! And you are only going to go blind if you look right at the flash, which you would have to be an _idiot_ to do."

Roy tossed you the camera and you caught it, grinning as you turned it onto the two boys. "Come on, smile!"

They obediently gave you similar cheesy grins and managed to crack their heads together as they leaned in close enough to fit into the frame. You laughed as you let the shutter snap closed and freeze the memory in place on the film.

"I want a copy of that one." You said with a grin, handing the camera back to Maes. "It's practically the only time I get to see you two not fighting."

Roy folded his arms over his chest, scoffing. "Blame him, I'm practically Mr. Congeniality."

Both you and Maes stared at him as he continued to nod solemnly to himself, clearly trying not to laugh and break character.

"We should just send you into the front lines then, Roy," you teased, winking at Maes, "that way you could just talk the enemy into submission."

Maes gave you a grin and nodded along. "Yeah, yeah, then we could all go home and not worry about people marching into our lands."

Roy rolled his eyes at that, snatching the camera from him and motioning the two of you together. "Come on, come on, it's only fair. Besides, Maes has been dying to get a picture of you, I swear," Mustang grinned, "he probably wants to put it under his pillow."

Maes went pink in the face, mouth opening and closing ineffectively before you pulled him closer and grinned at the camera lens. "Oh, I'm not surprised. I'm quite the keeper."

Roy waggled his eyebrows and waited for Maes to manage a grin before he clicked the shutter down and then handed the camera back to his friend. "Aren't you just? I'm surprised people aren't lining up at his door asking for copies."

Maes rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, like I'd let them have any."

You and Roy shared a significant look before you laid into him, teasing. "Oh," you asked as you scooted closer, "and why is that?"

"You wouldn't be jealous, would you?" Roy asked seriously. "Because, after all, it's just a picture."

Hughes frowned at the both of you. "I just mean that she'd have to give them out herself… I'm in no position to distribute them out like that."

You leaned over and pecked his cheek, pulling away in time to see him color up. "Sure you aren't, sweetheart." And then you laughed again as he refused to look you in the eye.

It wasn't until you were slipping back out of the boy's barracks, and you noticed the way he watched you go and the cheesy smirk plastered over Roy's face, that you realized that maybe Roy had been more right than he'd first imagined.

 _The worst is over now and we can breathe again_  
_I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away_  
 _There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight_  
 _I wanna hold you high and steal your pain..._

The Civil War had been a bloody awful business.

People had died; even more had been scarred in ways that would never fade, and the survivors had been forced to bury the bodies of their comrades and the memories of the long nights and even longer days of patrols and raids and wishing the fighting would just _end_.

As you looked at the faded photograph of your platoon before the war had begun, you started to wonder if that spur-of-the-moment decision had been the best one after all.

But then you remembered the good times instead of the bad, and figured that yeah, it had been worth it.

You thumbed through the rest of the album, laughing as you came across some of your favorite snapshots and wondering how many of these Maes had managed to hand out before everyone had fled the battlefield.

A knock on your door pulled you out of your thoughts, and you set the album down on the coffee table as you moved over to the door, opening it a crack as you peered out at the person who stood on the other side.

Maes looked worn at the edges, like an article of clothing that had been put through the dryer too many times, and his usually bright smile was faded as he aimed it your way. "Hey, I know it's late, but… Can I come in?"

You tugged him over the threshold and into a hug that he looked like he needed, laughing softly into his shoulder as you shut the door. "You can always come in, Maes."

He hugged back and sighed into your hair as you stood that way for a little while before he spotted the album on the table and let out a groan. "Oh please tell me you weren't looking through that old thing." He muttered, moving over to it.

You grinned as you joined him, plopping back into your seat. "Well obviously. You never went anywhere without that camera of yours. There's a lot of things in here I'm pretty sure our CO's didn't even know about."

He grinned. "That's the beauty of barracks life. Your superiors only find out what you want them to know…" He flipped back a few pages until he found the one of you two that Roy had taken one night. "I never did get to tell you how much I liked having you sneak in to see us." He said softly, running a finger over the edge of the portrait. "It made us both feel like we meant something."

"Probably because you do." You pointed out softly. "And stop sounding like that's changed. If we were still on base _I_ would have been the one to ask _you_ if I could come in."

He grinned. "Since when do you ever ask?"

You nudged him in the ribs. "Shut-up. And while I'm thinking about it, why are you here?"

"Do you want me to shut-up or answer, because I can't do both." He winked.

You stuck your tongue out at him. "Answer me."

"I missed you."

You blinked at the honesty of his answer, and raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. It's not the same without my very favorite super-stealthy-spy sneaking into my room every night to play poker with me." He chuckled. "And besides, Roy's gotten all sour-mouthed and serious since we came home. It's a _sickness_ , I tell you!"

You laughed. "You're a sickness…"

"Your _face_ is a sickness." He replied in a deadly serious voice. "And I think I might have caught a really bad case of it."

"You caught a really bad case of my face? That sounds serious, Maes, maybe we should take you to the hospital."

He gave you a look that you repelled with a bright grin. "You know what I mean."

"Actually I haven't a clue what you mean; you're going to have to be a lot more obvious about it."

He leant forward and kissed you, and you decided that was about as obvious as you could get in this situation.

Not that you were complaining, of course.

 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm open_  
_And I don't feel like I am strong enough_  
 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
 _And I don't feel right when you're gone away..._

Roy always teased you by saying that you were joined at the hip.

You always retorted with pointing out that he was still single, and it usually shut him up.

He wasn't far off, though, because you and Maes rarely left each other's company, and never for very long.

Not that you minded, of course, but the looks a certain _Mr. Congeniality_ would send your way always managed to make you flinch.

Maes had done the beautifully decent thing and asked you to marry him, and you'd accepted without thinking twice about it because you really hated the thought of being somewhere not with him.

You worked in an office at the military base, and tried not to yawn every time people asked you how you were, because you _were_ relieved that Roy and Maes had pulled the proper strings to get you off active duty. It would have been a lie to say that you loved the mundane atmosphere that you worked in, but it beat dodging bullets any day.

And when your day was finally over, and you trudged home and closed the door with a sigh, you were always greeted with a kiss and a warm hug, and a pair of bright eyes beaming at you over the top of an even brighter smile.

And when a soft whisper of _welcome home_ was placed to your ear as you stood there and enjoyed the warmth, you nearly melted, because you'd always felt like you belonged with him, and after all this time you finally did.

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away..._

_"Broken" by Seether_


	5. Sandman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was no lack of admirers ready to fall to their knees in your presence should you ask them to, but that wasn't really what you were looking for. You wanted a man with backbone and a brilliant sense of humor, and you were planning to get one no matter what tricks you had to try in order to do it. The boss, although he was adorable and commanding, was clearly out. In fact, as you looked around the crowded mess hall, you decided most of these boys would be out.
> 
> Jean Havoc/Reader

_Sandman, I'm so alone_  
_Don't have nobody to call my own_  
 _Please turn on your magic beam_  
 _Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream..._

Growing up in Amestris as the only child of two of the most renowned alchemists in the country was not what you would have called an easy childhood. But, to balance it out, you were actually quite good at transmuting, so the rigorous training they put you through was made easier by your natural talent.

You were changing dimes into tiny dogs by the age of six, and by the time you were sixteen, you'd already signed your soul away and joined the army as a State Alchemist.

Your parent's choice, not yours.

You didn't really mind it all that much, though, given that you could spend hours looking up obscure things in the library, or spend your research money on some of the most frivolous things you could imagine, all in the name of science.

And when you turned twenty four and were assigned to work under Colonel Mustang, you thought your world might end, because suddenly you had to be responsible with your time and money.

And you really hated having to be responsible.

It was a sneaky, devious way for your parents to keep an eye on you and make sure you spent your adult years doing something constructive with your time, but you personally disliked their blatant lack of faith in you, and complained loudly of the unfairness of your condition every chance you got, just to get under their skin.

In reality, though, you never would have had it any other way.

You were happy, content, and actually way more responsible than your parents would have guessed you could be.

You had _real_ friends for the first time ever, since you weren't stuck doing alchemical drills with your mother or traveling around with your dad, and had finally settled down in a comfortable niche you'd carved out all for your own.

A niche that, you discovered, was a little lonely at times despite the friends you'd made.

 _Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream_  
_Make him the cutest that I've ever seen_  
 _Give him two lips like roses and clover_  
 _Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over..._

There was no lack of admirers ready to fall to their knees in your presence should you ask them to, but that wasn't really what you were looking for.

You wanted a man with backbone and a brilliant sense of humor, and you were planning to get one no matter what tricks you had to try in order to do it.

The boss, although he was adorable and commanding, was clearly out.

In fact, as you looked around the crowded mess hall, you decided most of these boys would be out.

So it was with a sigh and a roll of your eyes that you slipped into the seat next to a certain brightly smiling blond and began stabbing your food mercilessly.

"Whoa, stand clear men, we have a live one!"

You elbowed Havoc as he called out to the others at the table, but couldn't keep your smile down. "Yeah, and if you want to be one too, you'll shut your mouth."

He pulled a face. "Hey now, what's with the sour attitude, kid? You're usually the ray of light in our otherwise dismal lives."

You wanted to roll your eyes at that, but you knew it to be true. On more than one occasion Breda and Fury had told you the same thing… Although perhaps a little less eloquently. "Bad morning." You mumbled, deciding that Havoc was not the person to unload your dating problems onto.

A hand landed lightly on your head, ruffling your hair mercilessly. "Come on, cheer up, wouldja? The Elric brothers are coming to town, and you know how much fun they are to tease." He leaned in close, the hand falling away from your head to land on your shoulder as he whispered conspiratorially to you. "Would it cheer you up to prank them? Because I know a guy who could hook you up, if you wanted."

You gave him a sidelong look. "Havoc, you sound like a sketchy drug dealer." He looked wounded before you grinned and winked at him. "And yeah, I think that would probably make up for my abysmal morning."

He brightened instantly, leaning in even more closely so that you could practically feel his lips against your ear as he whispered to you. "Okay, so I had this idea… Alphonse is all metal, so it'd be mean to drag him into this, so it'll have to wait till Ed and the Colonel are alone in his office."

You blinked. "I'm going to enjoy this, aren't I?"

He winked. "That's the idea."

 _Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream_  
_Make him the cutest that I've ever seen_  
 _Give him the word that I'm not a rover_  
 _Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over..._

You swore this was the last time.

The last time you pulled a prank this elaborate on _your boss_ , and tried not to laugh as you walked innocently into the meeting Mustang called after he'd had a chance to change out of his drenched uniform, and find clothing in Ed's size that wouldn't drown him or make him look like even more of a child than he already did.

You _swore_ it wouldn't happen again. Not to Mustang, not to Edward, not to anyone.

But then Fury found that puppy and Havoc had that look in his eyes that he always got when he'd just hatched the greatest of plans, and when he pulled you off to one side out in the hallway, you knew what he was going to suggest before the words ever came out of his mouth.

And you should have said no.

You should have apologized when he gave you puppy-eyes and told him that you just couldn't you were both adults and should probably behave as such.

You _should_ have walked away from the downcast man after this episode and been on your way.

But you'd never said no. You'd never had to tell him to grow up or face the wrath of his ever-effective puppy-eyes, and left him to wallow in sadness at your cold reply to what would undoubtedly be another brilliant scheme.

You had said yes before he'd ever even opened his mouth, and when he started to drag you out the door he usually used for his smoke breaks, you couldn't help but wonder why you hadn't just said no.

Two days later, when Fury was sitting in the office with the most ridiculous pair of earmuffs _ever_ perched atop his head, you knew why.

You couldn't say no to Havoc because there was something in his eyes, in his smile, in his stupidly _shouldn't-be-sexy-but-totally-is_ smoking habit, in the way he ruffled your hair and called you _kid_ that made you completely unable to say no.

And it didn't matter what it was he asked either, the answer was always yes. It could be as mundane as you holding his coffee while he pulled off his jacket, or something as grand as actually stealing Mustang's car, you always went along with it.

And if it had been anyone else who'd nicked the boss's car and driven it into the middle of nowhere to look up at the stars as you lay on the roof of it, you wouldn't have been there to enjoy the laughter and complete absurdity of the situation.

But as it was, you could. And you loved every second of it.

 _Mr. Sandman bring us a dream_  
_Give him a pair of eyes with a come-hither gleam_  
 _Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci_  
 _And lots of wavy hair like Liberace..._

It wasn't until after the incident with the main fountain and the soap -infinitely juvenile, but worth every second- that you noticed the way Havoc looked at you from the corners of his eyes when he thought you were too bust laughing to notice.

But you did notice, because you'd been doing the exact same to him for years before you joined Mustang's team, and it was about time he started to look at you the same way.

And you kept your mouth shut, because this cute brunette named Jessica was dating him, and he looked happy every time he left the base to go see her, and you wanted that for him. You wanted him to be happy even if it made you sad, because he was that important to you.

But one night when you were there late, you ran into him in the hallways, and had to blink a few times before you realized he had a black eye and brandy on his breath.

You dragged him onto the rooftop and left the wind do most of the work of waking him out of his semi-stupor.

"Sorry, sorry I dragged you into this…" His words were only a little slurred, and you decided that maybe he wasn't as drunk as you'd thought.

"You drag me into everything, Jean; I doubt this is anything new."

He'd grinned at that, turning to look at you fully. "Maybe not, but I'm still sorry… I didn't want you to look so worried about me. It's not fair." He huffed softly. "You always worry… Don't think I haven't noticed."

You tried not to stare at him, the thought that he might actually know what he was talking about freaking you out a little. "What are you talking about?"

He gave you a serious look. "You always go along with my pranks and crazy ideas, even if you know you shouldn't. You worry that one of these days I'll go too far, get too crazy… End up not coming back."

You stuck your tongue out at him. "You could never get too crazy, Jean. You're already there."

He laughed at that, reaching a hand over. Instead of ruffling you hair the way he usually did, though, he let his thumb run along your cheek. "It's not as fun here as I thought it would be… Kinda lonely."

You grinned. "All you have to do is ask you know."

He smirked, eyes gleaming deviously, and leaned in to press a kiss lightly to the corner of your mouth. "Be crazy with me?"

"I thought I already was."

"Well, taking into account that you _are_ currently on a rooftop with me after-hours, I'd say you're pretty close."

You laughed, letting him tug you into a close hug. "Eh, I guess I can live with that as long as I'm with you."

"Oh good. Because once you go crazy you never go back!"

You looked up at him and grinned deviously. "You say that like I'd ever go for the alternative in the first place."

He grinned.

 _Mr. Sandman, someone to hold_  
_Would be so peachy before we're too old_  
 _So please turn on your magic beam_  
 _Mr. Sandman, bring us, please, please, please_  
 _Mr. Sandman, bring us a dream..._

_"Sandman" by The Chordettes_


	6. Katherine Wheel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You found out that he shadowed you because he was staking a claim. And for whatever reason, be it those eyes or that grin, you couldn't bring yourself to feel like you should have been asked about being claimed first. You liked that he was looking out for you, no matter his reasons why.
> 
> Zolf J. Kimblee/Reader

_Lo and behold, baby_  
_These are the things you make me do_  
 _Katherine Wheel I'm burning for you_  
 _I'm burning for you…_

When you'd first laid eyes on him, you hadn't been about to join the military. You were ten, playing in the playground, and he shoved the boy who'd stolen your swing right off the seat.

He'd given you the most mischievous grin you'd ever seen and the offered to push you to make sure the kid didn't try and steal it back.

You never forgot that bright-eyed boy from the playground even though you never saw him again after that day. You always went back to that playground, that swing, but you never ran into him. You never caught glimpses of that bright grin or the long black hair.

And in all honesty, you missed it.

You missed the boy you'd only seen for a few hours, but would stick with you for the rest of your life.

You decided it wasn't fair that he left such an impression and then vanished into the blur of time.

 _Come on and break me a limb at a time_  
_Wrap me around your spokes so tight_  
 _There's no letting go_  
 _Spin me around to blur the line_  
 _Between you and I_  
 _What are you waiting for?_

It was almost ten years later, as you stood at attention and received your first orders for combat, that you saw him again.

It took you a week to get up the courage to just walk past him, and another four days to get the nerve to sit at the same table in the mess hall, keeping your head down as the other boys around you all teased and joked and laughed amongst themselves.

And when you'd realized you'd forgotten to get something to drink and run off to get it, you'd returned to find your seat taken.

You'd tried for a minute to get their attention before _he_ kicked their chair over and glared. "She was sitting there first."

You went about as red as a tomato as you sank back into the righted chair and dared to look up at him. That same grin from all those years ago was aimed across the table at you, and he winked.

"Next time, just ask me. It's a hell of a lot faster."

You'd nodded and gone back to your meal, and tried to ignore the way his gaze still bored into you from those luminescent eyes.

After that, you noticed the way he followed you around, subtly at first and then more openly after. He would smirk when he noticed you looking his direction as he lounged against a wall or slouched in a chair just across the table from you.

You didn't find out until a week later, when a certain Flame Alchemist had muttered a warning into your ear, that what Kimblee was doing was making sure no one had the guts to mess with you.

He shadowed you because he was staking a claim.

And for whatever reason, be it those eyes or that grin, you couldn't bring yourself to feel like you should have been asked about being claimed first.

You liked that he was looking out for you, no matter his reasons why.

From the watching and following, he escalated to touching, and one night when he tugged you down a dark alley in the camp you jumped a mile in the air and couldn't get your blush under control as his arm slipped around your waist.

"Kimblee, what are you…?"

"Hush. There's this creep that keeps looking at you. Bastard clearly hasn't taken the hint about you being off limits…"

Your blush merely intensified. "Why are you doing this?"

He looked at you like you were stupid. "Once upon a time you were the cute little girl who got her swing stolen on the playground," that grin resurfaced, "I never want to have to see that little girl cry again, okay?"

If you hadn't been so flattered and flustered and generally embarrassed, you would have hugged him and laughed into his chest.

As it was, you just let him smirk as he walked you back to your barracks.

That feeling of being looked after overwhelmed you, and for the first time since he'd stolen back your swing, you felt loved.

 _Holding hands won't be enough_  
_In a world giving head to a god_  
 _Love in theory and practice_  
 _Chapter One…_

That feeling of being loved quickly turned into one of being wanted when you discovered that Kimblee didn't care much for regulation, and would openly hold your hand and casually sneak his arm around your shoulders or waist.

You didn't mind. How could you, when you knew why he was doing it. And if you were being honest with yourself of anyone else, you would have admitted that you liked being able to lean into him when someone across the yard was giving you a dangerous look and know that they'd back off instantly.

He was like a bodyguard…

But with benefits.

The first time he kissed you, he gave you fair warning and whispered into your ear what he was planning before pressing his lips lightly to yours.

He claimed that the boys had demanded proof that you two were together, because they had a similar feeling to his where the rules were concerned, and thus a kiss was required.

You doubted it even from the beginning, but you let him do it anyway because you were curious how it would feel to kiss that smirk right off his lips.

Unfortunately for you and your curiosity, though, kissing him just made his smirk wider.

But you decided that with enough practice, you'd be able to fix that.

The kisses continued, though rarely to your lips and more often to the back of your neck or just below your ear, the places he knew on instinct would make you react.

When he got the chance, he would attach your wrists and the joint between your neck and shoulder, utilizing his teeth and tongue in his battle against your defenses that tried to keep him at bay.

Nine times out of ten, he was infinitely more successful than you were, and you added that to your list of things that just weren't fair about him.

Along with how he kept his hair soft _while in the army_ , how attractive his smirk with that hint of teeth was, and the way he could make you melt with just a few words.

Usually ones that either described your beauty or spirit. Often both.

The times he resorted to such flattery, he was trying to sneak his way into your room when you refused to admit him. And when the softly spoken words weren't enough, he would break out the Pout.

It was a mixture of puppy-dog-eyes and wobbling lips that would have put most five-year-olds to utter shame and ruin.

The Pout was not something you could ever hold your own against for very long, and every time it made an appearance, you caved in a matter of moments.

And closely following the Pout was the Smirk. So capitalized because it followed your rolling eyes and muttered acquiescence before his hands landed on your waist and he pushed you back into your room and kicked the door closed with a rumbling chuckle.

 _I twist and turn_  
_Your arms swirl_  
 _The dizzier I get the clearer I see_  
 _You are at peace with the world within…_

The nights you awoke to warm arms wrapped around you and steady breath against your back were the nights you would smile and know that nothing could go wrong. You were on top of the world in his embrace, and whenever the grin disappeared and he gave you a soft, genuine smile, you knew he felt the same way.

"Am I still that little girl who had her swing stolen?" You asked one night as you sat out under the stars, leaning against his chest.

"No, no," he chuckled, "you're the woman who managed to snatch away my heart." He kissed the top of your head, sighing into your hair. "It feels kinda hollow without it, you know. I feel like my lungs might start rattling around against my ribs if I run for too long, or something."

You laughed, pressing back against him harder as another deep chuckle rumbled through him. "Well you have mine, so I only think it's fair I borrow yours."

"Borrow? Babe, who said I'd want it back?"

You turned to look at him, smirking. "It that an invitation to keep it, then?"

He winked. "Only if the offer is mutual."

It was the times like this, the moments were you sat in silence and just watched the world slip past, as much as it was the ones where you had to gasp down lungfulls of air just to keep yourself conscious that made you love him as much as you did.

And no matter how much he smirked and grinned and gave you those toothy smiles, you knew deep down he could be soft-spoken and sweet. And it didn't matter which he did usually, because you got to see both.

 _Lo and behold, baby_  
_These are the things you make me do_  
 _Katherine Wheel I'm burning for you_  
 _Please don't stop until my heart no longer screams…_

_"Katherine Wheel" by HIM_


	7. Wicked Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You decided that it wasn't really your fault, since you were being held captive by a man with mesmerizing eyes and entirely too much charisma for his own good. It was probably the combination of sunglasses, skin-tight shirt, and fur-trimmed vest. And silken voice, strong presence, and wicked eyes.
> 
> Greed & Greed (Ling)/Reader

_Girl, don't you fight it_  
_Don't knock it till you tried it_  
 _Just show me some skin, I might bite it_  
 _I want to have my wicked way with you..._

When you'd joined the military, full of zeal for both king and country, you'd imagined yourself fighting on the front lines and helping to topple enemy governments and win wars. You hadn't seen yourself hidden behind a pile of paperwork as tall as you were, crowded onto your tiny desk by powers that defied all logic.

This was not your idea of the war effort.

When you'd first enlisted you'd been _sure_ that you'd get into a thrilling position in the ranks, but instead you'd been shunted off to a secretary position and told to report to possibly the laziest man alive when it came to paperwork. Colonel Mustang had his good points, and probably more of them than some people assumed, but his lack of dedication to documents that needed his signature was certainly one of his major faults.

And although you never really got to see any of the action because of your position, it didn't really matter. The Colonel trusted you, you knew that, and it meant more to you than any amount of military action. He would keep you close, saying it was so you could take notes, but you knew better. You liked knowing that someone saw you as more than just a paper-pusher, and any form of compliment coming from Mustang was certainly not something to be scoffed at.

So the day he actually sent you on a reconnaissance mission, complete with armed escort and confidentially labeled information, you nearly squealed with how pleased you were to finally be of use to someone outside of the office.

 _I just want to take you out and get you drunk_  
_So I can have my wicked way with you_  
 _I'm just being honest 'cause I know the other guys_  
 _Are thinking just the same way too_  
 _And I'm not gonna lie and say_  
 _That I will take you out to dance, there's just no chance_  
 _'Cause I don't even like the same music you do_  
 _I just want to have my wicked way with you..._

When you'd set out on this little expedition, it had sounded safe and simple enough. Go in, poke around a bit, come out and report to Ed and Al what you'd seen. It was so easy, and it should have been that simple. But no one really ever plans to have Homunculus drop in from seemingly nowhere and snatch you up before you have a chance to scream for help.

In your defense, you did give them a run for their money once they'd set you down in their hideout, but there was really only so much you could do against so many hostiles. So you kept your head on straight, put on your most defiant air, and asked to see their leader.

If you'd known at the time exactly who that was, you would most likely have thought better of that request, but you didn't know who the man in the dark shades was until he grinned and gave orders in quick succession, and by that time your mind hadn't the ability to process anything other than the words he was directing your way.

Greed, as he was quickly revealed to be, had something about him that made it very hard for you to concentrate on anything other than him. And that was an achievement in and of itself, given how you could normally focus on several things at the same time.

You decided that it wasn't really your fault, since you were being held captive by a man with mesmerizing eyes and entirely too much charisma for his own good. And somewhere in the back of your head you heard Mustang's voice telling you not to be fooled by outward appearances, and that this was a terribly dangerous position to be in, when infatuated with a captor. You told the mini-Mustang to shut up and enjoy the view, because you certainly were. It was probably the combination of sunglasses, skin-tight shirt, and fur-trimmed vest. And silken voice, strong presence, and wicked eyes.

You tried not to think too much, because it actually started to make your head hurt when you attempted to wrap your head around the conundrum that was Greed.

"So how about we make a deal," he said finally as he stooped down to your level, peering over the rims of his glasses, "I let you go, and you promise not to bring your buddies back to my hideout. How does that sound?"

You wanted to point out that you couldn't have led anyone back here even if you'd wanted to, because you hadn't a clue where you were, but that was a terrible bargaining chip. "That sounds like a plan." You managed at last.

You couldn't really help the tiny yelp that escaped your throat when his hand changed density and ripped through your bonds like so much tissue paper, but in your defense it had been a long time since you'd seen anyone do something like that.

He actually looked a little surprised as he pulled away, and his hand returned to its usual texture. "You didn't scream." It was almost a question.

"I have friends who are alchemists," you admitted as you stood tentatively, "I'm used to things changing their shape on a regular basis."

He gave you another of those grins, all sharp teeth and unspoken intentions. "So long as you don't change, I think it'll be alright."

Ed threw a tantrum when you got back to headquarters, and you tried to explain that you'd simply gotten lost on your patrol, but he was having none of that. Mustang seemed equally unconvinced until you finally asked him to politely drop the subject, and then he did. Ed, on the other hand, refused to let it go until you explained in full, but you didn't, so Al was forced to remove his big brother from the premises whether he wanted to go or not.

And you tried not to daydream about sunglasses catching the light, or a grin that made you shiver every time the memory of it resurfaced without warning.

 _I'm not gonna come over and meet your mom and dad_  
_They know that I was bad_  
 _I don't want to meet your friends_  
 _Oh, just pretend I like you_  
 _I don't want to talk about what happened_  
 _On your favorite TV show_  
 _I just want to get you close enough_  
 _So I can take off all your clothes_  
 _I don't want to make you cry or break your heart_  
 _Girl, we don't have the time_  
 _I'm just thinking of three hours or more_  
 _So I can have my wicked way with you..._

It took Greed a week to find out where you lived, but once he did he just kept coming back. You did the decent thing and refrained from telling any of your friends or superior officers about what was happening, and he never asked to go anywhere other than the route from your front room up to your bedroom and back.

In any other situation, you probably would have felt guilty about the whole thing, but Greed had a way of making you forget the rest of the world in favor of paying perfect attention to him and only him. It should have risen red flags when he came in the middle of the night and slipped away again before dawn, but the seemingly careless attitude with which he treated you was belied by the fact that he left his glasses resting on your bedside table and his vest draped over the back of a kitchen chair.

Whatever anyone else might have said about him, you actually cared for the Homunculus, and that grin that had scared everyone else had managed to capture your heart. And it would have been a lie to say that you didn't love the nights when he slipped into bed beside you and simply breathed deeply into your ear.

But the night he didn't come back made you worry, and for a month you felt your stomach churning for fear of something terrible having happened to him. You had no way of knowing if he was alright, because the hideout he'd been using was abandoned, and you couldn't exactly file a missing persons report either. So you waited, and wished for the butterflies in your stomach to stop fluttering every time your doorbell rang.

And one night after you'd nearly given up all hope, the man at the door was one you didn't recognize, but at the same time you had no doubts about who he was. The eyes were the same, still burning brightly, but without the convenient cover of sunglasses, and that grin was still just as feral as it had ever been.

"Miss me?" He'd asked, all innocent and incorrigible, and you'd decided two could play at that game, and showed him just how much you had missed him. He, of course, refused to let you forget why you'd fallen so hard the first time, and as your memory was refreshed, you felt yourself going through the same process again.

But you weren't about to complain.

"I thought you wouldn't recognize me, now that I look different." He admitted softly while you lay in the dark of your room, trying to catch your breath. "Guess I underestimated you."

You grinned, recognizing the compliment for what it was. "I could say the same."

His chuckle rumbled through your bones, and you felt yourself melt just a bit more. "Well, I won't be making that mistake again."

And as strong arms wrapped tighter around you and a hot kiss was placed against your temple, you couldn't suppress the grin that spread over your face as the thought of even more nights like this surfaced to the forefront of your mind. "I should certainly hope not."

 _Now, don't you fight it_  
_'Cause I know you're gonna like it_  
 _Show me some skin, I might bite it_  
 _I want to have my wicked way with you..._

_"Wicked Way" by Benjamin Taylor_


	8. Come on Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward, and basically everyone else you worked with, was blissfully unaware of your liaison with a certain homunculus, and you had every intention of keeping it that way. It would have felt like fraternizing with the enemy, except that wasn't why he'd dragged you into the warehouse earlier in the week.
> 
> Envy/Reader

_Hot temptations_  
_Sweet sensations_  
 _Infiltrating through_  
 _Sweet sensations_  
 _Hot temptations_  
 _Coming over you..._

It was a slow, dull throb in the back of your head to begin with, and then it turned into something a bit worse. An ache that reached down your spine and into your shoulders, as though you were trying to lift something that was much too heavy. Soon it was reaching every inch of your body in waves, each rolling over in you agonizingly slowly and with no intention of letting up anytime soon. Every inch of you ached, and you wanted nothing more than to roll over and die, but defeat was not an option. You knew that, and yet…

"Oh come on, you're not giving up already, are you?" The voice ripped into your thudding skull and merely made the pain worse. "We've only just started!"

You closed your eyes, regulated your breathing, tried to feign unconsciousness.

"You can't fool me, you know," the voice was softer now, much more gentle, "I can spot a faker a mile off."

"If only you _were_ a mile off." You muttered under your breath to your sparring partner, feeling the mat you were currently sprawled across sink as he knelt next to you. "I think you actually broke something that time."

"Hardly." A hand landed on your sore middle, fingers flexing gently until they found the bruise on your right hip, making you flinch. "Just roughed you up a little…"

"A little?" You cracked an eye open to glare into guilty golden orbs. "Edward, if this is your idea of _a little_ , I'd hate to see how your enemies turn out when you go hard on them."

He grimaced, pulling an apologetic face and shrugging half-heartedly. He was sorry, you could tell, but you wanted him to say it. He'd known you weren't up to a real fight, but he'd done his best to give you one anyway. "Look, I didn't know…"

He trailed off as the doors to the gym flew open, and Roy entered with his usual one-woman entourage. "Fullmetal! I need…" He trailed off when he saw you hadn't gotten up to salute him.

"Sorry, sir, I can't move." You admitted with a tiny wave of your hand, hoping he noticed the newly acquired purple bloom on your forearm.

You heard more than saw the exchanging of looks between Edward and Roy, and then Mustang huffed in a thoroughly annoyed tone. "Well get yourself cleaned up, would you, I need you to go on a stakeout later tonight, if you're feeling up to it."

You gave him an odd salute and waited till the doors closed before you looked up at Edward and grinned. "You're so going on that stakeout with me."

"I shudder in my automail." He replied with a grin.

 _Come on closer_  
_I want to show you_  
 _What I'd like to do_  
 _You sit back now_  
 _Just relax now_  
 _I'll take care of you..._

As you limped slightly across the courtyard towards the car that was waiting to take you and Edward on your stakeout, you had to wonder how you'd even gotten yourself into this situation. As one of the few females in the force, it was bad enough for you, but then you'd been assigned as the Elrics' handler, and things had gotten much more complicated.

Edward wasn't mean, far from it where you were concerned, but there were certainly things that you would have liked to change if you could have. One of which was his using his automail in sparring matches when he knew you weren't wearing any padding.

Your hip still stung from the kick he'd landed on it earlier that day.

But minor injuries aside, the two of you got on swimmingly, and you always enjoyed spending time with the brothers, even if it meant putting yourself in harm's way to keep them safe.

One girl could only take so much in her lifetime before snapping completely, but you had somehow managed to maintain your sanity and still work with the Elrics whenever necessary. Like tonight, apparently.

You tried not to recognize the side of town you were headed to, but there was only so much lying you could do to yourself before you eventually gave up and recognized where you were. You'd been here only a few nights earlier, dragged into the dark warehouse by a certain dark-haired someone when you hadn't been expecting it.

Edward, and basically everyone else you worked with, was blissfully unaware of your liaison with a certain homunculus, and you had every intention of keeping it that way. It would have felt like fraternizing with the enemy, except that wasn't why he'd dragged you into the warehouse earlier in the week. He hadn't wanted information, at least not of that variety, and you hadn't wanted to know where his Father's super-secret base was.

"I'll go take a look." You muttered to Edward before you slipped from the cab of the car and moved towards the warehouse's large double doors.

"Are you crazy?" Ed hissed after you, frantically trying to free himself from Alphonse's grip. "You can even run, you lunatic!"

He was half-way through the dictionary definition of _stakeout_ , which did not include going towards the target, when you heard shifting from the shadows just inside the door and felt your heart pound.

"The pipsqueak is right, you know," _that_ voice hissed into your ear from seemingly nowhere, "you really should have stayed in the car."

A shiver ran along your spine and you tried to suppress it in favor of looking like nothing was wrong, turning your head in such a way that made it impossible for Edward to see your lips move. "I plan to go back to it in a second or two. But I thought you might want a heads-up to where we were so you don't end up getting into a pointless fight."

He hummed low in the back of his throat, and you wondered why it sounded so much better when you could practically feel it in your bones. "Protecting the enemy now, are you?" He asked softly, tone teasing as it always was.

"Protecting a particular asset I don't intend to lose." You replied with a wicked grin. "So just be a good boy and stay in the shadows, and everything will be alright."

"Your leg isn't." The growl in his voice made your grin even wider. "Who hit you hard enough to make you limp, anyway?"

"Caring for the enemy now, are you?" You asked in the same tone he'd used earlier. "My, my, Envy, how charitable of you." And as quick as you could, limp included, you headed for the high hills before he decided to blow his cover and drag you into the shadows with him.

 _Gonna take it slow babe_  
_Do it my way_  
 _Keep your eyes on me_  
 _Your reaction_  
 _To my action_  
 _Is what I want to see..._

Your work schedule being what it was, you didn't find yourself home again for another day and a half, and by that time all you wanted to do was crawl under your covers and never come out again.

But when you smelled lavender on the air and followed your nose to a bath full of steaming water and surrounded by candles, you decided covers could wait, and instead slipped past the bubbles and into the warm water. You winced as it washed over the bruises that still littered your skin, but it was worth the initial discomfort for how nice it felt afterwards.

"Feeling better?" Fingers drove insistently at the back of your head, making you melt further into the hot water. "Or is that leg of yours still playing up?" His tone was light, but there were hidden intentions in his question, and you really wished he wouldn't hedge around the subject so innocently.

"Edward sparred with me," you replied softly, "to answer your earlier question as to who hit me that hard. And yes, I am feeling better, and no, it isn't playing up nearly so much as it was the last time we talked."

The fingers had stopped their merry dance across your scalp, and you felt his fingernails dig in just a little as he battled whatever annoyance or anger had flared up in his chest. If there was one thing Envy wasn't good at, it was keeping his emotions in check. "You let him?"

"Didn't have much of a choice. Kid might be short for his age, but he's fast." You tilted your head back far enough to look up at him, noticing with some evident pleasure the way his headband was missing, and the lack of skin-tight black across his chest. "Stop looking so annoyed. You aren't Wrath."

He frowned at that, but continued the massage to your scalp, making your eyes flutter closed again. "Still."

"Still." You agreed with a faint smirk, loving how much he said with so simple of a word. _Still, you shouldn't let him bully you_ , or _Still, I don't like the idea of him roughing you up_ , or possibly even _Still, you're my girl not his and he should know better than to make you hurt._ "Still." You repeated again as his fingers slipped lower across your neck and started to work against the muscles of your shoulders, sliding through the water silently.

 _And now you're satisfied_  
_The twinkle in your eye_  
 _Go to sleep for ten_  
 _Anticipating_  
 _I will be waiting_  
 _For you to wake again..._

Fur rubbed gently against your bare skin, and you had to focus to remember where you'd fallen asleep the night before. Smooth cotton contrasted to the silk against your cheek and the warm fur against your shoulders, and you distinctly remembered Envy complaining about your sheets before… Your eyes fluttered open and you turned your head enough to spot the large black cat sitting on your bed, staring at you with luminous eyes of green.

Well that explained the fur, but why was he waking you up?

A series of four loud knocks sounded against your door and you groaned softly, the cat beside you letting out a soft hiss of established disapproval. He'd changed because he wasn't sure who it was and when they might decide to skip the knocking and go straight to coming in without your express permission.

He leapt nimbly out of the way when you rolled over and pulled on your robe, hurrying to get down stairs before whoever was at the door decided to knock it down and find you.

"Big brother, I don't think it's a good idea to transmute her lock," you heard a familiar voice saying on the other side of the door, "she's probably just still sleeping."

"Forget good ideas, Mustang said it was urgent." You heard Edward muttering as he presumably inspected the lock in question.

You opened the door and gave him a flat look, startling him as he hastened to straighten up and attempt to not look guilty. "What do you want, Ed?"

He floundered, clearly still feeling guilty about his almost-break-in, and Alphonse came to his dear brother's rescue. "Colonel Mustang wanted you to come to the office for a conference, and he's sorry for the inconvenience, since this is your day off, but it's quite important."

You sighed, nodding. "I'll be right down."

Envy was waiting for you on your bed, back in his human shape and stretched out under your sheets, all dark hair and pale skin uninterrupted by his usual garments. "I heard." He said before you even opened your mouth to explain. "Go ahead; I'll still be here when you get back."

You were, admittedly, a little surprised by his willingness to share, but decided it would be best not to question it. "You promise?" You teased instead, getting your uniform together before you headed into the bathroom.

He didn't verbally reply, but he gave you the next best thing. It was a slow, curling smile, nothing so sharp as his grin or as mocking as his smirk, but perfectly gentle and warm. It was an expression reserved expressly for you and you alone, something you got to keep all to yourself and knew he didn't share with the rest of the world.

You closed the gap between you in three short strides, and surprised him with a forceful kiss. "You know that goes double for me, right?" You asked, knowing he'd get the message you were implying.

He grinned then, all sharp teeth and temptations. "Oh believe me, I know."

You smirked, pressed another quick kiss over his smirk, and spun around to head off to get ready for work. He was worth all the secrets you ever had to keep, and you knew he felt exactly the same way about you.

 _Hour after hour_  
_Of sweet pleasure_  
 _After this I guarantee_  
 _You'll never want to leave_  
 _Shut your eyes and think about_  
 _What I'm about to do_  
 _Sit back relax I'll take my time_  
 _This lovin's all for you..._

_"Come on Closer" by Jem_


	9. Bleeding Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had been the only one to never leave you, to always stay by your side no matter what, no matter how often you told him it was too dangerous for him, or how you could fend for yourself now- he still stayed by your side. He still bled for you even after all this time.
> 
> Scar/Reader

_I'm bleeding out_  
_So if the last thing that I do_  
 _Is to bring you down_  
 _I'll bleed out for you…_

You remembered how the world had been before, back when you'd had a home to go to and the man you now called your protector had born a name not associated with how he looked and the crimes he had committed.

In snatches you recalled the way the sun had shone off glimmering sands and how the songs of your people had once filled the temples of your gods. You remembered how crimson eyes could soften at the sound of your voice and how arms could cradle you so gently to a firm and warm chest. You remembered your land in the glory of a past life, a life that had been stolen from you and your people by those murders in blue and white.

Years later, when you realized what had truly happened that day, you could look back and not feel the fury of all those that had been slain in the name of progress and a style of war that bore no resemblance to the name _Civil_ that it carried.

You slowly began to lose your hatred to the decay of time, but you never truly forgot how it had felt to feel the ground beneath your feet turn from hard earth to sticky blood, how the screams had filled your ears, how the only one to whisper in your ear would be the one who bled more than the others simply to keep you safe.

He had been the only one to never leave you, to always stay by your side no matter what, no matter how often you told him it was too dangerous for him, or how you could fend for yourself now- he still stayed by your side.

He still bled for you even after all this time.

 _When the day has come_  
_That I've lost my way around_  
 _And the seasons stop and hide beneath the ground_  
 _When the sky turns gray_  
 _And everything is screaming_  
 _I will reach inside_  
 _Just to find my heart is beating..._

He always liked it when you curled up beside him on cold nights and pretended that it was just the change in season that warranted the sudden closeness. And yet, when winter had left its chill on the world and spring had come to thaw away the frosts, you never left his side. You stayed with him just as he stayed with you, because you needed to know that the blemishes on his skin that were the same as his name were only superficial. His scars needed to only be skin deep, and you needed to see that they stayed that way.

You had run with him from the blood-stained sands of your old home, and he wondered why you had never stopped running. Even when he had found you a home, found you somewhere you could hide and rest and slowly begin to live again, you had chosen to stay with him. You had chosen to lead a life on the run just to be with him, even after he had told you to stay where he put you.

You were stubborn like that, he knew even before he had saved you from the slaughter of the war, but he hadn't expected it to stick with you for so long. He had expected the war to scare it out of you or for his tone to warn you to not do anything rash ( _like you had_ ), but in the end he had been powerless to stop you from tagging along by his side, wandering with him through life.

You were more to him than just a companion, of course, you were the hope he had that life might someday return to normal- that some day the gray sky would once again be blue, and the sands would no longer be tainted red.

You were the hope he saw in humanity, the hope he saw in himself, and you were the one thing he had managed to save from the ravages of war. You were his priceless treasure that he would do anything to save, because if he lost you, he lost his entire being. You were his heart, his soul, his everything.

And coming to that conclusion under the starless sky of a frigid winter night while you rested by his side had been the easiest thing he'd ever had to do.

 _When the hour is nigh_  
_And hopelessness is sinking in_  
 _And the wolves all cry_  
 _To fill the night with hollering_  
 _When your eyes are red_  
 _And emptiness is all you know_  
 _With the darkness fed_  
 _I will be your scarecrow..._

Some nights were easier than others when you were on the run, he'd known it would be like that ever since the beginning, but there had always been that fleeting hope that some nights you'd be able to rest in peace on the outskirts of a town and keep your heads down while the patrols passed and he told you not to worry because he was there.

You wanted to believe him more than anything, that he would keep you both safe- keep you both whole. You were all each other had now, the only sort of family you had been left with after all the fighting and fleeing and trying to pretend your skin wasn't so dark or your eyes so red. You were family, in a strange sense, and family helped one another, kept one another safe and always did what was best for each other.

It was an unspoken agreement that when it was cold, you'd slip closer to him, and when he was tired you'd say you were so he wouldn't feel guilty over asking to stop. He spent nights awake to be sure you were safe, and you did the same although he never knew it.

You refused to let the emptiness and hopelessness overtake you, refused to let him feel like any of this was ever his fault, because _it wasn't_. So you did your own fair bit of teasing the hounds that nipped at your heels and leading them away from where he had collapsed after so long running with you in his arms.

You refused to let him be the only one to bleed.

And when he found out what you did, he never responded with words, but his hands were gently when they rested on your shoulder, and his eyes were softer around the edges when he looked your way, and you decided that if that was all the thanks you ever got, it would be alright, because it meant more from him than anything else in the world from someone who didn't mean it.

 _You tell me to hold on_  
_Oh you tell me to hold on_  
 _But innocence is gone_  
 _And what was right is wrong..._

"Why do you do it?"

The question had been asked softly one night as you sat in front of your tiny little fire and fought off the fickle fingers of winter's chill as they tried to sink under your clothes and tug away your warmth. "Do what?" You asked instead, unsure of his meaning.

He looked at you, crimson eyes dancing in the firelight and saying more than his tongue ever could. There were so many questions there, so many things he wanted to know and yet knew he shouldn't ask. So many demands he wanted to have met and yet refused to even ask you for the simplest of favors. "Tell me it will be alright."

"Because it will be." You answered automatically, snapping your gaze back onto the fire and hoping he hadn't seen the look in your eyes that would betray you. "Obviously." He hummed somewhere in the back of his throat and you continued to study the fire, wondering who you were lying to more- him or yourself. You knew it would never turn out alright, not really, but you clung to that hope because it was better than having nothing at all to hold onto.

"Why do you believe that?" Again the question surprised you, but you didn't look up this time, despite feeling his gaze on you. "That we will survive all of this and come out on the other side. There is no proof that it will be that way."

"I need it to be that way." You mumbled back, shrugging and dragging your coat closer around your shoulders. "I need to know we bled for a good reason- not just because we happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I need some sort of justification for all of this." You hazarded a glance his way and found his gaze soft as it met yours. "Don't you?"

He didn't answer for a long moment, and you thought that perhaps he wouldn't reply at all, but then he moved, shifting closer around the edge of the fire and scooping you up into his arms, cradling you gently against his chest the way he had that first time so long ago when he'd carried you away from blood-soaked sand and dying screams of your people. "I need no other reason to live than the one I already have." A kiss was placed on the crown of your head, and his arms tightened about you fractionally. "That is a good reason, isn't it?"

You found your vocal chords in complete disrepair as you merely nodded, snuggling closer to him. "Y-yeah." You managed at last. "Sounds like a good reason to me."

He tipped your chin up with a free hand and placed a soft kiss to your forehead, eyes bright in the firelight as they looked over your face, taking their time in the examination of your features. "I thought you'd agree."

 _So I bare my skin_  
_And I count my sins_  
 _And I close my eyes_  
 _And I take it in_  
 _And I'm bleeding out_  
 _I'm bleeding out for you..._

_"Bleeding Out" by Imagine Dragons_

**Author's Note:**

> Fullmetal Alchemist and All Related Characters belong to: Hiromu Arakawa


End file.
